One for All Hexagon

The other bauble I made last night was the octagon version of the pattern from Try to Be Better (see previous post for info on pattern). It worked up really easily, and is a quick pendant if you need a gift in a hurry. http://www.glasperlendesign.com/product_info.php/info/p1247_E-Book-One-for-All---All-for-One-TRYTOBE-english-version---.html/XTCsid/9710bf0f6568c1b30e655b0468b4ff9c
This bezeling technique is easy and really works up nicely.

A star for Easter

I wanted to make some little gifts for my daughter and my niece who are coming up for Easter. I started with the pattern "Yasmine" by Ilde, a French beader. http://www.lestresorsdildes.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=2638073You can buy this through the internet and then you get a PDF file. Ilde has several other great patterns.
Anyway, I merrily went along making this, then realized it was way too bunched up on the star ends, then looked at the picture again and realized I had double the points needed!! So, as is usually my rule, I ripped it out and cut it up before going to bed. Nothing is worse than having to start your beading with mistakes. Anyway, the final star evolved today, and it is quite lovely, and an underneath structure makes it quite substantial and sturdy. I will add a bezel on the back and make this a pendant. This pattern assumes you know how to bezel a rivoli and make a star setting, so it is not for the faint of heart. If you are experienced however, you can figure it out from the diagrams even if you don't speak French.

New Way to Bezel

I just tried a new pattern (available in English and German) called "One for All, All for One" from the German Website "Try to Be Better" (http://try-to-be-better.blogspot.com/. Sabine Lippert is the author and designer, and her blog is terrific and includes several free patterns that are great as well. I like to support blogs like Sabines through also buying patterns as a way of thanking the designers for their work and the free patterns they give to others. The website has links to places it can be purchased. I bought this through PDF download from Glasperlen Designs http://www.glasperlendesign.com/index.php/cat/c137_TRYTOBE.html/XTCsid/9710bf0f6568c1b30e655b0468b4ff9c. The site is in German, however I sent an English email to them after struggling with my very limited German and an online dictionary, and it all worked through paypal payment. A PDF was then sent to me.
The pattern is excellent, clear diagrams and great photos. The technique is terrific (and you need the pattern, there is hidden structure underneath!) and works up into a sturdy square bezeled bead. I used the technique in Diane Fitzgerald's Shaped Beadwork book of using size D Nymo doubled. This technique eliminates one end to sew in. I would use size B next time as the going was pretty tight after several bead passes through the delicas and 15's. There are two other bead designs in the pattern, and although it is expensive given the current euro / CDN dollar exchange, it has tons of potential for doing some interesting component combinations, so I highly recommend it and am planning to try some other designs from this pattern.
I am working on improving my photography, and I see so many lovely blogs that look so professional. I realized today that I need to use aperture priority more, so on the picture for today I experimented, and found that good pictures with better depth of field seem to be with an F stop of at least 5.6, with 7.1 yielding an even better one if you can use a tripod. I used a 50mm macro Canon lens with tripod, and this lense seems to produce the best close ups. I also want to get my daughter, a graphic designer, to make me a branding signature, I am not very skilled at the photoshop text stuff and need to get some tips.
Finally, my blog has been mainly a source for me to write about things so far, but I was so excited today to see three comments, wow!!! and one of them from Pencio, a fantastic French designer who I greatly admire!! So, now I am really inspired to improve!!

Playing with Triangles

My fascination with the architecture possible through beads continues. I found a really nifty little triangle patterns free on a German Website, Glasperlen Designs by Eva Maria Keiser. I made one little triangle, but then did another, expanded it, and before you know it I had a pyramid. I have pictures to show you the steps along the way. Not sure what to do with it, maybe add a ctrstal and turn it into a pendant. Link to pattern (there is an English version) http://www.glasperlendesign.com/index.php/cat/c208_KEISER-DESIGNS.html I would like to figure out a way to do this continuously rather than making four triangles, I hate sewing in thread ends. I used smoke 6 lb fireline, and this gave a little stiffness which is needed for the structure. The little googly is one of my porcelain dolls I used to make, I still have a basement full of antique doll molds. I started beading when I needed jewellry for my dolls and could not find any I liked, and over the years the beads took over.....